HER2 Support Group Forums - View Single Post - Finally

StephN · 10-23-2011, 07:54 PM

Lauriesh - I hope to meet you so let's keep in touch.

KDR - It is very easy for me to participate in this vaccine trial. I live about 20-25 minutes from the medical center and they cover the parking. If I plan a couple of errands on the way, I have not even used extra gas.

But the main reason is that I feel since I have been off Herceptin for alomost 3 years, that it is time to try something, since I am hormone negative and there is nothing else to take unless a tumor shows up someplace.

I do know of a woman who was HER2, stage IV, achieved remission PRIOR to Herceptin and was in an early vaccine trail here. She is STILL in remission. Who know exactly why, but they are studying her blood as well as mine to see what our natural HER2 immune response is. Something like 20% of us do have a natural reponse but it is usualy too low to fight a tumor. If I can boost my response to stay in remission, this is an easy route for me at this juncture.

Debbie L - I have met numerous women at the U of W who came for the previous vaccine trials. Many did have their airfare mostly or all paid by one of the organizations. Plus they had rooms in nice hotels at NO CHARGE and taxi vouchers from the medical center.

All they had to pay was a couple of meals.

Hope some of those gals will chime in.

10-23-2011, 07:54 PM	#17
StephN Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Misty woods of WA State Posts: 4,128	Re: Finally - a Vaccine Trial for me! Lauriesh - I hope to meet you so let's keep in touch. KDR - It is very easy for me to participate in this vaccine trial. I live about 20-25 minutes from the medical center and they cover the parking. If I plan a couple of errands on the way, I have not even used extra gas. But the main reason is that I feel since I have been off Herceptin for alomost 3 years, that it is time to try something, since I am hormone negative and there is nothing else to take unless a tumor shows up someplace. I do know of a woman who was HER2, stage IV, achieved remission PRIOR to Herceptin and was in an early vaccine trail here. She is STILL in remission. Who know exactly why, but they are studying her blood as well as mine to see what our natural HER2 immune response is. Something like 20% of us do have a natural reponse but it is usualy too low to fight a tumor. If I can boost my response to stay in remission, this is an easy route for me at this juncture. Debbie L - I have met numerous women at the U of W who came for the previous vaccine trials. Many did have their airfare mostly or all paid by one of the organizations. Plus they had rooms in nice hotels at NO CHARGE and taxi vouchers from the medical center. All they had to pay was a couple of meals. Hope some of those gals will chime in. __________________ "When I hear music, I fear no danger. I am invulnerable. I see no foe. I am related to the earliest times, and to the latest." H.D. Thoreau Live in the moment. MY STORY SO FAR ~~~~ Found suspicious lump 9/2000 Lumpectomy, then node dissection and port placement Stage IIB, 8 pos nodes of 18, Grade 3, ER & PR - Adriamycin 12 weekly, taxotere 4 rounds 36 rads - very little burning 3 mos after rads liver full of tumors, Stage IV Jan 2002, one spot on sternum Weekly Taxol, Navelbine, Herceptin for 27 rounds to NED! 2003 & 2004 no active disease - 3 weekly Herceptin + Zometa Jan 2005 two mets to brain - Gamma Knife on Jan 18 All clear until treated cerebellum spot showing activity on Jan 2006 brain MRI & brain PET Brain surgery on Feb 9, 2006 - no cancer, 100% radiation necrosis - tumor was still dying Continue as NED while on Herceptin & quarterly Zometa Fall-2006 - off Zometa - watching one small brain spot (scar?) 2007 - spot/scar in brain stable - finished anticoagulation therapy for clot along my port-a-catheter - 3 angioplasties to unblock vena cava 2008 - Brain and body still NED! Port removed and scans in Dec. Dec 2008 - stop Herceptin - Vaccine Trial at U of W begun in Oct. of 2011 STILL NED everywhere in Feb 2014 - on wing & prayer 7/14 - Started twice yearly Zometa for my bones Jan. 2015 checkup still shows NED 2015 Neuropathy in feet - otherwise all OK - still NED. Same news for 2016 and all of 2017. Nov of 2017 - had small skin cancer removed from my face. Will have Zometa end of Jan. 2018.